Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

All the chatter is to hide their deep embarrassment about their activities in the Senate. They are up there defending Porsche drivers, up there defending the drivers of luxury cars, against the interests of the Australian people and lower interest rates for working families and farmers. That has been the consequence of their actions in the Senate. Interest rates will be higher for longer as a consequence of their attempts to raid the surplus and also the reckless spending that they have now committed to. The Leader of the Opposition, in a 20-minute press conference on day 1, spent $20 billion—$6 billion in raiding the surplus in the budget and a further $14 billion. The opposition now have the hide to come into the House and complain that a few people buying top-end vehicles are paying too much tax.

We reached a sensible arrangement with the minor parties in the Senate. There has been more economic responsibility in the little fingers of the Greens and the Independents and the minor parties in the Senate than there has been in the Liberal and National parties. This is going to continue, apparently. The Leader of the Opposition is going to pay a very high price if he is going to continue to wreck the budget in the Senate, because it will be clear to everybody who is economically irresponsible in this country and who has a responsible approach to budget management. The IMF have given this government a very big tick today, and the opposition is trying to demolish it.

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